So no photos in this post, but I think it's interesting all the same...
Everyone always asks us what living in Germany is like. Is it really different from living in America? The answer, of course, would vary depending on who you ask, but we composed a list of some of the more interesting differences that we've encountered over the past 6 months.
1. The language. Obviously, they speak German in Germany and not English (duh). While you can certainly get around with just English, as most people speak at least a little bit of it, it is definitely easier to have even a basic knowledge of the language. It's just so strange to live in a city and not be able to read all of the signs. Or understand conversations that you overhear on the street. Or read a menu in a restaurant. Or be sitting on a stopped train for over an hour and not understand a word of the announcement over the loud speaker (Yeah, that happened). Since our German has improved, things have definitely gotten easier. But German is a difficult language and we still struggle at times, especially when trying to understand native speakers when they talk to us at stores, restaurants, etc. We'll get there though, I'm sure.
2. The service. This is a big adjustment when you come from America where "the customer is always right." In Germany, the customer is never right, and usually has to pay a small fee to call the company and argue with the employee. Also, there is no push for "instant gratification" like in America. It took us a month to get Internet in our apartment. And they didn't even have to come to the apartment to install anything! I'm pretty sure they just literally flipped a switch somewhere. Meals at restaurants take longer and good luck finding your waitress when you are ready to pay the bill. My personal favorite are the cashiers at the supermarket who never show even a trace of a smile. It's impressive, actually. On the upside, I am never badgered by pushy saleswomen while browsing a department store and we can enjoy a long dinner without being rushed out by the waitstaff, anxious to make more tips. And we're usually satisfied with the quality of the product or outcome, but it's just the "presentation" that takes a little bit of getting used to.
3. Recycling and the environment in general. They are crazy about recycling over here. Like, seriously. As I mentioned in an earlier post, most plastic bottles have a "Pfand" included in the purchase price. It's usually about 25-50 cents (depending on the size of the bottle) and you get it refunded when you return the bottle for recycling. Also, unnecessary machines and technology that use an abundance of energy are much more rare, i.e. dryers, air conditioners, SUV's, etc. I once heard a friend remark that he wouldn't buy a certain type of instant coffee machine because the cups used to brew the individual cups created too much waste. And it's not even like he's this crazy tree-hugger type. Just a normal German looking out for the environment.
4. No ice in beverages. We'll admit, we thought this was going to be really difficult to get used to. You never get ice in your beverage when you are out to eat. Never. It doesn't matter if you are drinking pop, water, or juice. No ice. And while we can make ice in trays in our teeny tiny freezer for use at home, we just never do. You get used to drinking lukewarm water a lot faster than you think you would.
5. No "free" water served in restaurants. While there is nothing wrong with the tap water here in Munich (it's quite good, actually), you'll never be served it in a restaurant. If you want water, you will most likely receive a 1 liter bottle of sparkling water. And it's pretty expensive, in my opinion. We've talked to our friends about this, and it seems that the most likely explanation is that the restaurant subsidizes its profits by charging more for beverages. This makes sense I guess, but it doesn't make it any easier when we're dying from thirst because we refuse to pay 5 Euros for a bottle of water after splitting a bottle of red wine. (Don't call us cheap, sometimes it's about principle! ha)
6. The directness of the people. Most Germans tend to be a bit more direct than Americans. For example, when we had our house warming party, one of our friends walked into our living room, took one look at our brand new IKEA couch and said, "Why is that one cushion sticking out like that?" Since the couch was new, the cushions were not yet broken in and admittedly, one or two looked a little funny. But in America, we would never make a comment like this to a friend. Germans are also much more likely to tell you "No," short and sweet, when they don't want to do something or disagree with you. They don't shy away from telling you their honest opinion, even if it's not what you want to hear. They see it as being efficient and tend to make fun of Americans for being "fake." We see it as being more polite and softening the blow so to speak, but they see it as confusing and unnecessary. It's all just matter of opinion. The important thing though, is to not take these comments and replies personally, as Germans just believe that they are helping you by being honest and sincere. Also, no one makes small talk with strangers and no one says "Excuse me" when they bump into people. Again, I don't think they are being rude, it's just not customary to be overly friendly. Weird for us as Americans, who tell strangers on an airplane our life stories.
7. The food. I mentioned the differences found in the grocery store in a previous post. But all of the restaurants are different, as well. As Munich is a large, international city, you can find just about any type of food -- Mexican, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and even burgers (the list goes on...). While we have found some really good restaurants, most of them have a "German flair," if you will. The flavors tend to be a little blander, with less spices used. After trying lots of different restaurants, we have determined that America definitely does different ethnic foods better. Maybe it's the influence of all of the different immigrants that come to America. But anyways, it's not like we're eating sausages every night for dinner. We generally only eat them at festivals, like Oktoberfest and the Christmas markets. Also, I may have mentioned this before, but every German completely cleans their plate at every meal. Not a single scrap remains when they are finished with it. I was a bit self-conscience about this at restaurants at first. Contradictory to many American stereotypes, portions in American restaurants really aren't that much larger than portions in European restaurants (for the most part). And I don't know about you, but unless I ran 6 miles that day and haven't eaten anything since breakfast, I can never finish my entire meal. I'm just too stuffed. But if you do this at a German restaurant, they assume that you didn't like the meal. And no one takes home leftovers (that we've witnessed, anyway). I felt bad about it at first, but now I just don't worry about it. Our German friends made a comment about a co-worker never finishing his lunch in the cafeteria. I asked about it, just out of curiosity, and they made a good point -- you shouldn't waste food. This is true, but what is one to do when the restaurant portions are just too large? Certainly, I can't go into a restaurant and ask them to only serve me half of the chicken breast they are planning on giving me. It just doesn't work like that. But again, it's just a different perspective and I admire their aversion to waste.
8. Blending in. I can't speak for all of Germany as I only live in one city, but certainly the people in Munich prefer to blend in rather than stand out. Occasionally, you will see a young person wearing something unique, but it's not like NYC or Philly where every other person on the subway is looking for a way to differentiate themselves. Everyone here tends to wear more neutral colors, nothing too skimpy, and certainly nothing flashy like diamond rings. Most wedding rings are a simple gold band and engagement rings are virtually non-existent. The women also tend to be more low-maintenance, wearing much less make-up and hair pulled back. This works great for me, as I've never been one to spend hours in the bathroom primping. I'm not sure why this is, but our instructor at out "intercultural training" day suggested that it comes from WWII. In general, their is a slight aversion to people who want to be the center of attention, in any way. He made the example that in Germany, no one would ever vote a former actor/celebrity figure into a government position. He said people would be suspicious of the individual. Additionally, he mentioned that very few political figures in Germany come from wealth. Another huge difference from the U.S. Germans are very aware of their history and make it a point to not repeat it. In fact, all students must visit one former concentration camp as part of their curriculum. I respect this approach, as most U.S. history textbooks gloss over the ugliest parts of our history. Germany's role in WWII definitely affects their current culture in many ways, and it really shows. I believe their aversion to waste must also come from the aftermath of the war, when conditions in Germany were very difficult for everyone.
The list goes on and on, but these are just a few of the bigger ones that we've been reflecting on over the past few months. While Munich is not so different from a large city in America, there are enough differences that it really does affect you at times. The important thing to remember is that there is no "right" way to do anything. If you think about it, you start to realize that people have very valid reasons for doing things the way they do them. And most of the time, both perspectives make sense. I think that's the key to adapting and adjusting to a new culture. It doesn't make it easier every single day, but it certainly helps. These are important things to keep in mind if you are planning on spending an extended period of time in any country outside America.
Cheers,
Kristin and Matt
